Alzheimer's Patient Murdered with Morphine at N.C. Nursing Home, Worker Charged Say Investigators

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. (CBS/WRAL) A caregiver is charged with murdering an Alzheimer's patient at a North Carolina nursing home with a heavy dose of morphine. Investigators say 44-year-old Angela Almore, who worked at Britthaven of Chapel Hill, is charged with second-degree murder in the February, 2010 death of 84-year-old Rachel Holliday.

Almore was indicted Monday according to CBS affiliate WRAL.

In addition to the murder case, Almore faces charges of felony abuse, related to hospitalization of six other Alheimer's patients to whom authorities say she also gave morphine.

"In the 20 years, almost 21 years I've been here, I don't recall anything like this," Orange County District Attorney Jim Woodall, told charlotte.news14.com.

Woodall said all indications are that Almore acted alone.

Local and state authorities started investigating the possible abuse after the Alzheimer's patients tested positive for the drug in February.

"The State's position is that the morphine was probably given to make the patients more manageable," Woodall said.

The attorney general's office confirmed that its Medicaid Investigations Unit had been looking into Britthaven's possible involvement in the abuse, but that charges against Almore concluded that investigation.

"At this point, there's nothing to indicate that anyone else was involved," Woodall said.

Almore's next court date is set for July 13. She was appointed a public defender and remains behind bars at the Orange County jail under a $500,000 bond.